Missouri River forecast improves, but drought lingering

Mountain, Plains snowpacks above normal

Cooler weather and late-season moisture in the Rocky Mountains and Upper Great Plains have improved this season’s runoff on the Missouri River, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reports.

Snowpack in the mountains appeared to have peaked in early April, but additional storms increased accumulation. Meanwhile, snow melt in the Great Plains increased runoff.

“The runoff forecast continues to improve thanks to late season plains and mountain snowfall in the upper basin,” said John Remus, the chief of the Crops’ Missouri River Basin Water Management Division. “We hope to see the precipitation trend continue to provide the much needed moisture for the region.”

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